Bächle in Freiburg

First documented in the 13th century, the Bächle once served as a water supply and were used to help fight fires. Today the Bächle are loved by children and tourists alike but in the 19th century they were seen as obsolete and most of them were covered with iron plates. The Bächle were seen by many (among them the ADAC) as a traffic hazard due to their original location in the middle of the road and as a consequence they were moved to the edge of the roads in 1852.
 

It is local superstition that if you accidentally step in the Bächle, you will marry a Freiburger.